What about the safety of West Point Schools? I checked on my son, Rusty Richardson, and I was reassured.

So many questions were running through my mind. Is my husband alright? I hadn't heard from him at all and couldn't get ahold of him at the West Point Mill. What about my other family members, neighbors, and friends? When would Tara leave and where would she go?

I knew she would be shipped across the ocean to other end of the world and wouldn't be able to tell me where she was. I was thankful that I had Destineé still at home to keep busy.

Now even to this day as I celebrate my Daddy's life on September 11, I will always remain on alert.

Now, I have a faith that is greater in that no matter what happens in this life, I know there is a better life and bright future yet to come.

My husband, daughters, son, stepsons, and all my family have the same faith.

We will survive and we will flourish.

"Now to God who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more that we can ask or imagine, according to the power that is working in us, To GOD be the glory, in the church of Jesus Christ, to all generations forever and ever. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Phillip J. Higgins:

September 11, 2001 started as any other day for me. I lived in Woodbridge, Virginia, and commuted daily to Washington, DC to work at the Alston & Bird law firm as a Computer Support Analyst.

I carpooled to the Pentagon, and took the Metro into Washington, just a few blocks from the office building.

I was preparing for my day when one of the female attorneys popped her head in my office door and said, "Would you please go turn the television on in the main conference room? A plane has crashed in New York city."

I told her I would turn the system on, and headed to the conference room. When I turned on the CBS channel, around 8:35 a.m. there was live coverage, and the first tower had already been hit.

One by one, attorneys and staff started coming into the conference room, watching the live news broadcast.

The commentators were all speculating whether or not the tower had been hit by accident, or if had been hit intentionally.

After watching for about 20-25 minutes, I decided I had better get to my duties for the day, and prepared to leave the conference room when I noticed the second plane on the television set come into view. Bewildered, I watched intently.

Most of the people in the room were talking to one another, sipping coffee, and not paying close attention to the screen. I could tell that the second plane was heading for the second tower, and I exclaimed loudly, "The other tower is about to be hit!" All eyes tuned to the television, and silence suddenly fell in the room, when we all witnessed the second tower being hit by a plane on live television.